Second-Trimester Pregnancy Exercises

By the second trimester of your pregnancy, you likely suffer from some of the more exhausting symptoms associated with a growing baby, according to Pregnant Health. Your belly likely also sticks out and may get in the way of some of your favorite activities including exercise. Although all pregnant women must avoid activities such as bicycling, running, skiing and lifting heavy weights, women in the second trimester still can and should moderately exercise.

Walking

Walking during your second trimester is one of the best aerobic exercises, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. You should stay below 60 percent of your maximum heart rate when exercising during this phase of your pregnancy, according to Healthline. For most women, this means a heart rate of less than about 140 beats per minute.

Swimming

Swimming is another one of the safest exercises for expectant moms during the second trimester, according to Healthline. If you did not swim regularly before your pregnancy, you can still use a local indoor or outdoor swimming pool, but take it slowly. Some communities offer water aerobics classes, which may help moms-to-be with general toning as well as aerobic fitness.

Yoga

You can sign up for a prenatal yoga class offered in your community, take a regular class with people who are not pregnant, or practice these stretching poses at home, according to Healthline. A great second-trimester posture is the hand-raising pose or Hasta Utthanasan, according to Health and Yoga. You stand with your feet close to each other and your arms placed at the sides of your body. You then cross your hands in front of you, inhale and raise your still-crossed arms over your head as you bend slightly backward to glance at your hands. Exhale and then repeat the exercise as many times as you feel comfortable.

During the second trimester, you may experience more problems with balance even if you are a seasoned yogi; be sure to take it slowly no matter which yoga method you choose so you and your growing baby can avoid potentially dangerous falls.

Weight Training

Heavy weight lifting, which usually involves more than 25 pounds, is a bad idea during your term, according to Pregnant Health. However, you can still do plenty of exercises with dumbbells and other free weights, according to Healthline. For your safety as well as the health of your soon-to-be son or daughter, you should do basic free-weight-lifting while comfortably seated.